Craig Campbell (BMX rider)

Born near Southend, Essex; Campbell first came to attention in 1983 when Bob Haro, needing a British rider to represent his company, noticed Campbell's performance at a competition taking place at Harrow Skate Park thus sponsoring him in the process, making him the first non-American rider to receive a full sponsorship by Haro, resulting in Campbell's sudden popularity.[1]

Throughout his career, he have won a number of titles, amongst those are the UK King Of the Skatepark in 1984 and the UKBFA British Pro Freestyle Champion in 1985.[1] He also was one of the first European riders to compete in the United States[2] and was the first to experiment with the Rocket Air on a BMX bike in 1986 after seeing Christian Hosoi performing it on a skateboard, although Ron Wilkerson was stated by some source to being the pioneer, though he popularised the move.[3][4] He is also credited for revolutionising the 540 wallride, again on a BMX bike[5] during a 2hip event in 1988.[6]

In 1985, his association with Pro-Lite led him to get his own signature frame,[7] built by Freewheeler, it became the best selling freestyle bike of the year, outselling its following two rivals.

In 1987, Campbell, now without a sponsor, was spending a year working in a sound mixing studio, producing soundtracks for TV commercials. Realising that his friend, Jess Dyrenforth, was in the United States getting paid to ride on shows,[1] that prompted Campbell and his friends Nick Phillip and Lee Reynolds to move there to further their BMX career in the following year.[8]

In 1991, as his contract with GT came to an end, he returned to the United Kingdom. As he was finding difficulty in making a living from freestyle BMX as well as a growing interest in music meant he retired in 1991 at the age of twenty one, where he established a career as a disc jockey.